News

Article for OPERA magazine

After his recent lecture for donors to English National Opera (25 October 2023), Daniel is writing an article for OPERA magazine about his memories of Maria Callas to celebrate the centenary of her birth on 2 December. 

Daniel first saw Callas in autumn 1952 when, still in her 20s, Callas was undergoing an early piano rehearsal at Covent Garden for her forthcoming debut in Bellini’s Norma.  

Shortly afterwards, Daniel, an inveterate autograph collector, wrote asking her to sign a recent photograph and enclosed a stamped addressed envelope for her reply.  Callas replied, having signed the photo (almost invisibly against its dark background) and added – with a further signature – that she would send a presumably better photo. 

She was still using her full married name, Maria Meneghini Callas.